Humans ; Organometallic Compounds ; chemistry ; metabolism ; toxicity

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the analytical performances of Diasys reagents manufactured by Diasys Diagnostic Systems (Holzheim, Germany) with Hitachi 747. METHODS: We evaluated AST, ALT, ALP, gamma-GT, calcium, and glucose. Only two tests were adapt-ed to different methods from the current ones: the photometric test using the arsenazo III for calci-um, the kinetic colorimetric test according to Szasz/Persijin using l-gamma-glutamyl-3-carboxy-4-nitranilide as a substrate for gamma-GT. Precision, interference, linearity, and method comparisons were evaluated by NCCLS guidelines. RESULTS: The coefficient of variation (CV) of total precision was less than 6.8% in all items. Preci-sions and linearities of all items were acceptable. Correlation coefficients were more than 0.9884 and all items showed excellent agreement compared to the current reagents in the reportable range. We could not find any significant interference for six test items up to 750 mg/dL triglyceride, 50 mg/dL hemoglobin, and 20 mg/dL bilirubin, except that the latter ALT showed a negative bias by more than 5 mg/dL of bilirubin. CONCLUSIONS: Diasys reagents showed high precision, linearity and correlation in comparison to the current reagents. So we conclude that these reagents are good for routine clinical use with Hitachi 747.
Arsenazo III ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Bilirubin ; Calcium ; Glucose ; Indicators and Reagents* ; Triglycerides

An antral web is an extremely rare gastric anomaly that disturbs the gastric outlet. The onset of symptoms will depend on the diameter of the aperture. Obstructive symptoms may not occur when the aperture is >l centimeter in diameter. If the aperture is larger than 1 cm without significant symptoms, conservative treatment is sufficient. A case of an antral web with an ulcer and vomiting in a 7-year-old boy who received ibuprofen for 2 days is presented. The patient became symptom-free after medical treatment.
Carbamates ; Child ; Humans ; Ibuprofen ; Organometallic Compounds ; Stomach Ulcer ; Ulcer ; Vomiting

The maxillary sinus is an anthropological landmark because of difference of volume of maxillary sinus among persons of different ethnic origin. This study was undertaken to provide morphological characteristics of Korean's maxillary sinus. The size and volume of maxillary sinus were measured in 44 Korean skulls 23 males and 21 females from cadaver. The shapes of the maxillary sinus were classified according to Anagnostopoulou et al. (1991) and the sizes of the medial antral wall area of the maxillary sinus were classified according to Fernandes (2004b). The mean volume of maxillary sinus was 12.83+/-5.41 cm3, which was significantly different between males and females. Bilateral symmetry of the volume of the maxillary sinus was observed in the 70% of the specimens. The width of maxillary sinus was 26.59+/-4.96 mm. The height of maxillary sinus was 26.65+/-6.16 mm. The anteroposterior length was 32.84+/-4.96 mm. The anteroposterior length measured on C-Arm radiography was 36.99+/-4.72 mm. The shape of maxillary sinus was semi-ellipsoid and the majority (50%) of the shape of medial antral wall area of maxillary sinus was the type of small. The results of this study could be useful to clarify the anthropological characteristics of the maxillary sinus in Korean, and to provide an index of ethnic classification for the medial antral wall area.
Cadaver ; Carbamates ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Maxillary Sinus ; Organometallic Compounds ; Skull

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; Organometallic Compounds ; poisoning

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a skin infection caused by the Leishmania species, an intracellular protozoan parasite that is transmitted by various species of female sandflies. According to the geographic distribution and vectors, leishmaniasis is classified as Old World or New World cutaneous leishmaniasis. In Korea, 24 cases of Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis have been reported, but New World cutaneous leishmaniasis has not been reported as yet. A 37-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of a painful and erythematous nodule with two satellite papules on the left postauricular area and a papule on the left arm after traveling to the Amazon region in Brazil. After we performed skin biopsies of the lesions, diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis was made by the histopathological findings. After intralesional injection of sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam(R), GlaxoSmithKline) twice a week for 4 weeks, the lesions improved with scarring. Herein, we discuss this case of New World cutaneous leishmaniasis that was successfully treated with intralesional injection of sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam(R)) in Korea.
Antimony ; Antimony Sodium Gluconate ; Arm ; Biopsy ; Brazil ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Korea ; Leishmania ; Leishmaniasis ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous ; Parasites ; Psychodidae ; Skin

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a skin infection caused by the Leishmania species, an intracellular protozoan parasite that is transmitted by various species of female sandflies. According to the geographic distribution and vectors, leishmaniasis is classified as Old World or New World cutaneous leishmaniasis. In Korea, 24 cases of Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis have been reported, but New World cutaneous leishmaniasis has not been reported as yet. A 37-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of a painful and erythematous nodule with two satellite papules on the left postauricular area and a papule on the left arm after traveling to the Amazon region in Brazil. After we performed skin biopsies of the lesions, diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis was made by the histopathological findings. After intralesional injection of sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam(R), GlaxoSmithKline) twice a week for 4 weeks, the lesions improved with scarring. Herein, we discuss this case of New World cutaneous leishmaniasis that was successfully treated with intralesional injection of sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam(R)) in Korea.
Antimony ; Antimony Sodium Gluconate ; Arm ; Biopsy ; Brazil ; Cicatrix ; Female ; Humans ; Injections, Intralesional ; Korea ; Leishmania ; Leishmaniasis ; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous ; Parasites ; Psychodidae ; Skin

OBJECTIVE: To construct a HEK293 cell line stably overexpressing TrxR1 as a cell model for functional study of TrxR1 and screening of TrxR1-targeting drugs. METHODS: TrxR1 gene was amplified by PCR and ligated with the lentivirus expression vector pLVX-Puro, which was transformed into Escherichia coli and identified by Sanger dideoxy sequencing. HEK293 cells were infected with the recombinant lentivirus vector (pLVX-Puro-TXNRD1) and screened with Puromycin for cell clones with stable TrxR1 overexpression (HEK293-TrxR1-OE cells). HEK293-TrxR1-OE cells, along with HEK293 cells infected with pLVX-Puro vector (HEK293-NC) and normal HEK293 cells, were tested for mRNA and protein expression levels of TrxR1 using RT-qPCR and Western blotting. TrxR1 enzyme activity in the cells was evaluated with insulin endpoint assay and TRFS-green probe imaging. The sensitivity of the cells to auranofin, a specific TrxR1 inhibitor, was determined with CCK8 assay. RESULTS: TrxR1 gene was successfully inserted into the lentiviral vector pLVX-Puro as confirmed by DNA sequencing. The enzyme activity and mRNA and protein expression levels of TrxR1 were significantly higher in HEK293-TrxR1-OE cells than in HEK293 and HEK293-NC cells (P < 0.005). The inhibitory effects of auranofin on proliferation and cellular TrxR1 enzyme activity were significantly attenuated in HEK293-TrxR1-OE cells as compared with HEK293 and HEK293-NC cells (P < 0.005). CONCLUSION We successfully obtained a HEK293 cell line with stable TrxR1 overexpression, which shows resistance to auranofin and can be used for screening TrxR1 targeting drugs.
Auranofin ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Genetic Vectors ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Lentivirus/genetics* ; RNA, Messenger ; Transfection

PURPOSE: To assess the usefulness of gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced hepatobiliary phase MR imaging for evaluation of histological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 57 HCCs histopathologically proved by surgery in 51 patients were retrospectively evaluated. All patients underwent gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MR imaging prior to surgery. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of lesion and liver, and the liver-to-lesion contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for both pre- and postcontrast hepatobiliary phase were measured and contrast enhancement ratio (CER) of lesion and liver were calculated to correlate with three groups stratified by histological grades (Edmondson-Steiner classification) of the lesions. The differences between means of each group were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance test. RESULTS: The liver-to-lesion CNRs of well-differentiated HCCs (n=9) on pre- (-0.8+/-13.2) and postcontrast hepatobiliary phase images (13.2+/-30.4) were significantly lower (p<0.05) compared to those of moderately (14.2+/-9.4 and 39.1+/-15.4 on pre- and postcontrast, respectively) (n=37) and poorly differentiated HCCs (18.6+/-11.3 and 39.3+/-27.9) (n=11), respectively. There were no significant difference for CERs between three histological tumor grades. CONCLUSION: Gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced hepatobiliary phase MR imaging can help predict the histological grades of hepatocellular carcinomas preoperatively, especially differentiating well- from moderately and poorly differentiated HCCs.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Humans ; Liver ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meglumine ; Organometallic Compounds ; Retrospective Studies ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio

BACKGROUND: Dandruff is a common complaint, and is suffered by up to 50% of the population at some time. Malassezia yeasts, which comprise part of the normal skin flora, might be a critical factor in this disease, as they have been found in higher proportions in patients with seborrheic dermatitis or dandruff, its milder form. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of 4 weeks of treatment with 1% zinc pyrithione (ZP) shampoo. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, 4-week treatment period was preceded by a 1-week run-in period. A total of 30 patients were enrolled in this study. Assessments included the patient's subjective score (PSS) and the investigator's assessment score (IAS), images of the affected scalp area, the severity of sebum production, and the erythema and moisturizing effect of the shampoo. RESULTS: 1% ZP shampoo significantly reduced the extent and severity of scaling, as measured by folliscope imaging on visit 2 (p=0.0391) and visit 3 (p=0.0381), as well as pruritus related to the disease as measured by the grading systems, PSS (p=0.0352) and IAS (p=0.0142). Additionally, the results of this study show that a treatment regimen with 1% ZP shampoo significantly reduced scalp sebum production as measured by a sebumeter. Erythema measured by the chromameter was not as meaningful. The corneometric values were slightly increased in the group treated with 1% ZP shampoo but not in the group treated with ZP-free shampoo. Side effects of the ZP shampoo were quite mild and tolerable, and were observed only in a small group of patients. CONCLUSION: 1% ZP shampoo appears to be both effective and well-tolerated when used for the treatment of dandruff.
Dermatitis, Seborrheic ; Erythema ; Humans ; Malassezia ; Organometallic Compounds ; Pruritus ; Pyridines ; Scalp ; Sebum ; Skin ; Yeasts ; Zinc